Here’s How to Make Your Own Biscuit Baking Mix

Lindsay D. MattisonJune 14, 2018

Shutterstock / Jim Bowie

Forget that store-bought box of biscuit mix and make your own at home! You only need four ingredients.

I don’t know about you, but I love the convenience of a premade biscuit mix. Since all you need to add is milk or buttermilk, it takes less than a minute to whip up a batch of fluffy biscuits. It probably takes longer for the oven to preheat than it does to mix the biscuits! What I don’t love: Expensive store-bought mixes have an ingredient list that contain a few things I’d rather avoid (sodium aluminum phosphate? No thank you!). Luckily, homemade baking mix is super easy to throw together and it’s shelf-stable, so you can store it in the pantry until it reaches the expiration date on the shortening (not that it ever lasts that long in my house).

This budget-friendly alternative to store-made mixes only requires four pantry-staple ingredients and it makes some of the best biscuits I’ve ever had. You’ll get more than just tender biscuits with a lightly browned exterior, too. This versatile biscuit mix also makes incredible scones and tasty dumplings—you can use it in any recipe that calls for the store-bought stuff.

The recipe makes about 48 biscuits but can easily be doubled or tripled if you’re an avid baker.

How to Make Your Own Biscuit Baking Mix

Yield: 12 cups biscuit mix, or about 48 biscuits

Ingredients

For the biscuit baking mix:

9 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup baking powder

1 tablespoon salt

2 cups shortening, chilled and cut into small pieces

For the biscuits:

1 cup biscuit baking mix

1/3 cup cream, milk, or buttermilk

Instructions

Step 1: Mix it up.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in the shortening using your hands until the mixture is crumbly with some pea-sized clumps. If you don’t like getting your hands dirty (or you’re doubling the recipe), you can use a food processor. Place all ingredients in the bowl and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal.

Pro Tip: “Cutting in” refers to the step of baking recipes where you add shortening, lard or butter to dry flour. The process coats the flour proteins with fat, allowing a flaky texture to develop when the pastry bakes. If you’re working with a large amount of pastry dough, you may want to use a pastry blender or food processor, but you can also use your fingertips when working with small recipes like this one.

Step 2: Store it in the pantry.

Once the mixture is well combined, place the biscuit mix in an airtight container. Label it with a “use-by” date (obtained from the shortening package) and store it in a cool, dry place. You can also freeze this mixture for up to 8 months.

My mom made this stew when I was young, and it was always a hit. Since it's not time-consuming to make I can fix it on a weekend for our children, who love the tender dumplings. —Becky Mohr, Appleton, Wisconsin

I tweaked my beefy skillet cobbler until it achieved the wow factor. I must have gotten it right, as it's now a family tradition. Top it off with lettuce, avocado, cherry tomatoes and a dollop of sour cream. —Gloria Bradley, Naperville, Illinois

Many people don't think of using a slow cooker to make dessert, but I like having this hot, scrumptious apple treat waiting to be served when we finish up our dinner. I start it in the morning and don't think about it all day. —Jacki Every, Rotterdam, New York

You can make this fruity dessert on your stovetop, but to really impress your guests, simmer it in an electric skillet right at the dinner table. There’s no more convenient way to enjoy the fruits of the season. —Patricia Frerk, Syracuse, New York

These small savory muffins are fun to serve as appetizers or at brunch. With just five ingredients, the tasty bites are easy to whip up to take to a party, the office or a friend. —Willa Paget, Nashville, Tennessee

Not only does this savory breakfast pizza come together easily, but it's also a cinch to double the ingredients when I'm hosting a large event. Biscuit mix makes it convenient, and the combination of eggs, bacon and Swiss cheese keeps guests coming back for more. —Agarita Vaughan, Fairbury, Illinois

Whenever I take this time-saving side-dish casserole to a potluck, I seldom bring any home, and folks often ask for the recipe. If I have fresh dill, I'll substitute a couple tablespoons for the dill weed. It's easy to assemble and easy on the budget at only 77¢ a serving. —Esther Kilborn, Bridgton, Maine

My husband loves anything pumpkin, and this creamy, comforting pumpkin pudding recipe is one of his favorites. We make our easy pudding all year long, but it's especially nice in the fall. —Andrea Schaak, Bloomington, Minnesota

I found this recipe a few years ago in a dairy cookbook, and it has become a family favorite. My husband, Wayne, and our two children are mostly meat-and-potato eaters—but I don't hear any complaints when I make this bread! —Penney Kester, Springville, New York

Lindsay D. Mattison is a professional chef and a food writer. After graduating from Cascade Culinary school, Lindsay became the Executive Chef at Jackson's Corner in Bend, OR, from 2013 to 2016. Her genuine passion for food and sustainable food practices led her to find the farmer in herself. She lives in Durango, CO, where she enjoys the trials and errors of small plot farming. Lindsay is currently working on a cookbook that teaches home cooks how to craft beautiful meals without a recipe, tentatively titled "The Art of Bricolage: Cultivating Confidence and Creativity in the Kitchen."

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